World Grand Prix 'Match of the week' programme focuses on Turkey-Russia

The first 'Match of the week' programme focuses on Turkey's World Grand Prix Pool A encounter with women's world champions Russia

Lausanne, Switzerland, July 31, 2014 – Volleyball fans are in for a treat when Turkey take on Russia in the first of three FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix “Match of the week” programmes at 19.00 local time on August 3.

The “Match of the week” programme is made available to
the World Grand Prix’s host broadcasters as well as to other TV
channels for free, with the aim of spreading volleyball into regions where the
sport has the potential to grow. The match will take place at the Baskent Volleyball Hall in Ankara, Turkey, where the hosts will take on women’s world champions Russia (World Rank No. 6).

The second “Match of the week” programme will see World Grand Prix title holders and Olympic champions Brazil (WR 1) take on USA (WR 2). The match will take place on August 10 at 10.00 local time at the Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This will be followed by the third programme in the series, which will focus on the match between China (WR 5) and Japan (WR 3). The Pool I match will take place at 15.30 local time on August 17 at the Macau Forum in Macau.

English commentary for the World Grand Prix programme will be provided by John Burgess, Dan Strange and Tim Long.

John Burgess, who will provide the commentary for the first match of the week programme, has 30 years of experience as an English television sports commentator. He has commentated for the Olympic Broadcast Services and worked with the FIVB on World League, World Championship and World Grand Prix events for the last 10 years.

Dan Strange, commentator for week 2, is an experienced sports presenter and commentator equally at home in front of the camera or behind the microphone. He has worked on numerous top events and competitions in both able-bodied and disability sport, for television, radio and live in the stadium.

Tim Long, who will be providing commentary for the week three match, is a fast-rising young commentator, with experience from an early age in an array of sports. He commentates on the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and various other football competitions for Manchester United (MUTV), talkSPORT, and BT Sport. He also covers Euroleague and FIBA basketball, and commentated on 10 different sports at the 2013 World Games in Colombia.